Archives

Indian Journal of Pure & Applied Biosciences (IJPAB)
Year : 2020, Volume : 8, Issue : 2
First page : (471) Last page : (483)
Article doi: : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2582-2845.7665

Underutilized Vegetables, Importance and Its Utilization by the Tribal Community of Tripura, North-East India

Sajal Debbarma^1*, Jayanta Jamatia² and Thangjam Churachand Singh^3
1Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Vegetable Science, G.B.P.U.A.T., Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India
²Ph.D. Scholar, Division of Vegetable Science, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
³Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Agronomy, G.B.P.U.A.T., Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India
*Corresponding Author E-mail: twiprasasajal@gmail.com
Received: 3.06.2019  |  Revised: 15.07.2019   |  Accepted: 24.07.2019 

 ABSTRACT

Vegetables being a rich source of essential nutrients and antioxidants are the key component of the balanced human diet and also the main drivers in achieving global nutritional security by providing nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. The vegetable crops, which are neither grown commercially on large scale nor traded widely, may be termed as underutilized. Tripura is the second smallest state among the eight north-eastern states of India. There are 19 ethnic groups viz. Tripuri, Jamatia, Reang, Noatia, Chakma, Bhil, Bhutia, Chaimal, Garo, Halam, Khasia, Kuki, Lepcha, Lushai, Mog, Munda, Orang, Santhal and Uchoi residing in this state. Each group has its own unique language, culture, and food habit. Tripura has a diversity of underutilized vegetables embedded with rich nutrient potentials and medicinal properties along with the ability to stand against adverse climatic conditions. However, these underutilized vegetables are still neglected due to the lack of complete knowledge about their performance and input requirements, lack of planting materials, lack of information on how they can fit into production systems and non-viability of indigenous vegetable production like the major cultivated species of vegetables. In this context, it is necessary to take up programme on genetic resources exploration, management, utilization and improvement of these underutilized vegetable crops to ensure food and nutritional security for the future. This review article emphasizes the diversity of underutilized vegetables found in Tripura, their nutritional and medicinal value which could ensure food as well as nutritional security in India.

Keywords: Underutilized vegetables, Tripura, North-East India.

Full Text : PDF; Journal doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782

Cite this article: Debbarma, S., Jamatia, J., & Singh, T.C. (2020). Underutilized Vegetables, Importance and Its Utilization by the Tribal Community of Tripura, North-East India, Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci. 8(2), 471-483. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2582-2845.7665